ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rock — music
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. court — of a king
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. track — a song
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. track — to keep track
  10. band — a ring
  11. rock — a stone
  12. band — a music group
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. court — for sport
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. track — a path
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. court — of law
  23. chair — a leader
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com